Sign up to receive free email alerts when patent applications with chosen keywords are publishedSIGN UP

Abstract:

A smart window includes a windowpane, at least one sensor and a wireless
signal transceiver. The sensor is disposed on the windowpane and
configured for detecting an environmental factor and accordingly
outputting a sensing signal. The wireless signal transceiver is disposed
on the windowpane and electrically connected to the sensor. The wireless
signal transceiver is configured for further transmitting the sensing
signal from the sensor. A smart window system includes the aforementioned
smart window. The smart window and the smart window system adopt wireless
communication manner to transmit the sensing signals, and thereby the
smart window system has an overall modulation to an environmental factor.

Claims:

1. A smart window comprising: a windowpane; at least one sensor disposed
on the windowpane, and the sensor being configured for detecting an
environmental factor and accordingly outputting a sensing signal; and a
wireless signal transceiver disposed on the windowpane and electrically
connected to the sensor, and the wireless signal transceiver being
configured for transmitting the sensing signal from the sensor.

2. The smart window according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is an
organic-inorganic composite sensor.

3. The smart window according to claim 2, wherein the organic-inorganic
composite sensor comprises at least a transparent oxide semiconductor
thin film transistor.

4. The smart window according to claim 1, wherein the wireless signal
transceiver is an antenna which is implemented by at least a fine metal
wire or at least a transparent electrode.

5. The smart window according to claim 1, wherein an electric connection
between the sensor and the wireless signal transceiver is realized by a
transparent conductive material.

6. The smart window according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor
is at least one of an image sensor, a temperature sensor, a vibration
sensor, a poison gas sensor and a bursting gas sensor.

7. A smart window system comprising: at least one smart window, wherein
each smart window comprises: a windowpane; at least one sensor disposed
on the windowpane, and the sensor being configured for detecting an
environmental factor and accordingly outputting a sensing signal; and a
wireless signal transceiver disposed on the windowpane and electrically
connected to the sensor, and the wireless signal transceiver being
configured for transmitting the sensing signal from the sensor; and a
central monitoring device configured for receiving the sensing signal
which is outputted from the wireless signal transceiver.

8. The smart window system according to claim 7 further comprising at
least one modulating device, wherein the central monitoring device
controls the modulating device according to the received sensing signal.

9. The smart window system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one
modulating device is at least one of a central air conditioning device,
an alarm device, a fire-fighting device and an electrochromic film.

10. The smart window system according to claim 7, wherein a number of the
at least one smart window is multiple, and the smart windows transmit
signals to each other through the wireless signal transceiver.

Description:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a smart system, and more
particularly to a smart window and a smart window system using the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] With a capability of performing an intelligent modulation to
environmental factors, smart window system is widely used in some
specific areas such as various types of buildings and transportations.
Basically, sensors disposed in a conventional smart window system are
either configured to perform a self-response or transmit sensing signals
to a modulating device via a wire communication manner. If these sensors
are configured to have self-response functions and not transmit the
sensing signals to the modulating device, it is difficult for the
conventional smart window system to perform an effectual intelligent
modulation to environmental factors. Alternatively, even these sensors
are connected to the modulating device through a wire communication
manner, the number and setup positions of these sensors in the
conventional smart window system are easily restricted by an
environmental condition.

[0003] Moreover, in a conventional smart window system, each one of the
sensors is needed to be equipped with a modulating device, and there is
no sensing signal transmission between more than one smart window in the
conventional smart window system. Here, a conventional car smart window
system is taken as an example. A conventional car smart window system
includes multiple smart windows and multiple corresponding modulating
devices. Each one of the smart windows includes an electrochromic glass
and a light sensor. Each one of the light sensors is electrically
connected to its corresponding modulating device. The light sensor is
configured to detect the light strength and accordingly output a
corresponding sensing signal to its corresponding modulating device, and
thereby the modulating device can modulate the color of the corresponding
electrochromic glass based on the received sensing signal. Therefore, a
more comfortable environment is obtained inside the car. However, these
light sensors work independently which indicates that there is no signal
connection between these light sensors, so the conventional car smart
window system accordingly cannot have an overall modulation to the
environment inside the car through these modulating devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention provides a smart window with a wireless
communication function.

[0005] The present invention further provides a smart window system
adopting a smart window capable of transmitting a sensing signal via a
wireless communication manner, and thereby the smart window system has an
overall modulation to an environmental factor.

[0006] The present invention provides a smart window. The smart window
includes a windowpane, at least one sensor and a wireless signal
transceiver. The sensor is disposed on the windowpane and configured for
detecting an environmental factor and accordingly outputting a sensing
signal. The wireless signal transceiver is disposed on the windowpane and
electrically connected to the sensor, and configured for further
transmitting the sensing signal from the sensor.

[0007] In one embodiment, the above mentioned sensor is an
organic-inorganic composite sensor.

[0008] In one embodiment, the organic-inorganic composite sensor includes
at least a transparent oxide semiconductor thin film transistor.

[0009] In one embodiment, the wireless signal transceiver is an antenna
which is implemented by at least a fine metal wire or at least a
transparent electrode.

[0010] In one embodiment, an electric connection between the sensor and
the wireless signal transceiver is realized by a transparent conductive
material.

[0011] In one embodiment, the at least one sensor is at least one of an
image sensor, a temperature sensor, a vibration sensor, a poison gas
sensor and a bursting gas sensor.

[0012] The present invention further provides a smart window system. The
smart window system includes at least one aforementioned smart window and
a central monitoring device. The central monitoring device is configured
for receiving the sensing signal from the wireless signal transceiver.

[0013] In one embodiment, the smart window system further includes at
least one modulating device. The central monitoring device can control
the modulating device according to the received sensing signal.

[0014] In one embodiment, the at least one modulating device is at least
one of a central air conditioning device, an alarm device, a
fire-fighting device and an electrochromic film.

[0015] In one embodiment, a number of the at least one smart window is
multiple, and these smart windows can transmit signals via the wireless
signal transceivers.

[0016] In the smart window and the smart window system of the present
invention, because the transmission of sensing signal(s), which is
produced and outputted from a sensor(s), from the wireless signal
transceiver(s) to the central monitoring device is based on a wireless
communication manner, thereby it is easier to setup the wireless signal
transceiver(s) in the smart window and the smart window system without
the restrictions of environmental or outer-shape factors. In addition, if
the number of the smart window is multiple, these sensing signals,
produced and outputted from more than one sensors, are capable of being
transmitted between these smart windows via these wireless signal
transceivers. Therefore, when the collected sensing signals are
transmitted to the central monitoring device, the central monitoring
device can perform an overall modulating action to the environmental
factors according to the collected sensing signals, so as to facilitate
an optimal modulating effect and an objective of power saving.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0017] The above objects and advantages of the present invention will
become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after
reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings,
in which:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a diagram that schematically illustrates a smart window
system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] The present invention will now be described more specifically with
reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the
following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are
presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only. It is
not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form
disclosed.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a diagram that schematically illustrates a smart window
system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As
depicted in FIG. 1, the smart window system 100 includes at least one
smart window 110 and a central monitoring device 120; here, a smart
window system 100 containing more than one smart window 110 is taken as
an example in the illustrative embodiment. As depicted in FIG. 1, each
one of the smart windows 110 includes a windowpane 112, at least one
sensor 113 and a wireless signal transceiver 114; here, each one of the
smart window 110 includes for example one sensor 113. In each one of the
smart window 110, the sensor 113 is disposed on the windowpane 112 and is
configured to detect an environmental factor and accordingly output a
sensing signal. The wireless signal transceiver 114 is also disposed on
the windowpane 112 and electrically connected to its corresponding sensor
113, and is configured to further transmit the sensing signal from the
corresponding sensor 113. Additionally, in one embodiment, these smart
windows 110 are signal connected to each other through these wireless
signal transceivers 114, and thereby the individual sensing signals can
be transmitted between these smart windows 110.

[0021] In the present embodiment, the electric connection between the
sensor 113 and its corresponding wireless signal transceiver 114 is
realized by a transparent conductive material. The sensor 113 can be an
image sensor, a temperature sensor, a vibration sensor, a poison gas
sensor, or a bursting gas sensor, but it is not to limit the present
invention.

[0022] In the present embodiment, the sensor 113 is an organic-inorganic
composite sensor, but it is not to limit the present invention. The
organic-inorganic composite sensor includes at least one transparent
oxide semiconductor thin film transistor. Specifically, different types
of sensors 113 respectively with specific functions can be manufactured
via a modulation to the organic material in the organic-inorganic
composite sensor. These different types of sensors 113 are configured to
detect different kinds of environmental factors, such as an image, a
temperature, a vibration, a poison gas or a bursting gas, etc.

[0023] As mentioned above, each one of the smart windows 110 may include
more than one sensor 113. These sensors 113 for example may be configured
to respectively detect different environmental factors and accordingly
transmitting corresponding sensing signals to the central monitoring
device 120. In addition, it is understood that one single sensor 113 in
another embodiment may be configured to detect a combination of these
different environmental factors.

[0024] In the present embodiment, the wireless signal transceiver 114, for
example, is an antenna which is implemented by at least a fine metal wire
or at least a transparent electrode. The wireless signal transceiver 114
adopts, for example, a radio-frequency (RF) communication manner for the
transmission of the sensing signal, but it is not to limit the present
invention. The wireless signal transceiver 114 and its corresponding
sensor 113 can be firstly pre-disposed on a flexible printed circuit
board (not shown) and the flexible printed circuit board is then further
disposed on the windowpane 112. In another embodiment, the wireless
signal transceiver 114 and its corresponding sensor 113 can be directly
disposed on the windowpane 112. In addition, the wireless signal
transceiver 114, the sensor 113, and the connection wires between thereof
can be implemented by transparent material, so that the windowpane 112
has a wider view and a better light transmission.

[0025] In the present embodiment, the smart window system 100 may further
include at least one modulating device 130 which is controlled by the
central monitoring device 120 according to the received sensing signal.
Here, the modulating device 130 can be any device capable of being
controlled by the central monitoring device 120, such as a central air
conditioning device, an alarm device, a fire-fighting device or an
electrochromic film, but it is not to limit the present invention. As
mentioned above, the smart window system 100 may include more than one
modulating devices 130, and therefore, each individual modulating device
130 may be configured to perform a specific modulating action. In
addition, it is understood that one single modulating device 130 in
another embodiment may be configured to perform a combination of
different modulating actions.

[0026] The smart windowpane 110 and the smart window system 100 in
accordance with the present embodiment can be used in some specific areas
such as a glass building, transportation or some other public places, but
it is not to limit the present invention. As mentioned above, if the
smart window system 100 includes more than one smart window 110, these
individual sensing signals can be transmitted between these smart windows
110 via wireless signal transceivers 114. Therefore, after these
individual sensing signals are collected and feed back to the central
monitoring device 120, accordingly the central monitoring device 120 is
able to control these modulating devices 130 to perform a corresponding
modulating action(s) based on the received collected sensing signals.

[0027] Following is an exemplary application for illustrating some
specific functions capable of being provided by the smart window system
100 in one embodiment, but it is not intended to limit the present
invention.

[0028] In this example, the smart window system 100 is applied to a glass
building and a corresponding modulating action is accordingly performed
by the smart window system 100 based on a change of sunlight strength
detected outside the glass building. The modulating device 130 in this
example is a combination of a central air conditioning device and
electrochromic films (not shown) which are disposed on the windowpanes
112. The smart window system 100 in this example includes more than one
sensor 113, and these sensors 113 are temperature sensors.

[0029] In this example, when some sensors 113 detect a relatively high
temperature resulted by an illumination of sunlight, these sensors 113
then transmit corresponding sensing signals to the central monitoring
device 120, and thereby based on the received sensing signals the central
monitoring device 120 is aware of the exact area where the sunlight is
illuminating on the glass building. Therefore, the central monitoring
device 120 can perform some corresponding modulating actions such as
darkening the color of some specific electrochromic films, which are
disposed on the windowpanes 112 and being illuminated by sunlight, so as
to achieve a sunlight-block modulation. Furthermore, the central
monitoring device 120 may control the central air conditioning device to
output stronger cold air in the specific area where is being illuminated
by sunlight.

[0030] In the aforementioned example, because a sunlight-block modulation
is performed through the central monitoring device 120 controlling the
electrochromic films to have a darker color, thereby the central air
conditioning device consumes less electric power and an objective of
power saving is achieved. In addition, because only a partial of
electrochromic films, which are being illuminated by sunlight, are
controlled to have a darker color, the sunlight illuminated to the inside
of the glass building will not drop significantly. Thereby, only a
partial of indoor light devices are needed to be turned on in the
specific area if necessary, so an objective of power saving is also
achieved.

[0031] To sum up, the smart window and the smart window system of the
present invention at least have the following advantages: [0032] 1. In
the smart window and the smart window system of the present invention,
because the transmission of sensing signal(s), which is produced and
outputted from a sensor(s), from the wireless signal transceiver(s) to
the central monitoring device is based on a wireless communication
manner, thereby it is easier to setup the wireless signal transceiver(s)
in the smart window(s) or smart window system without the restrictions of
environmental or outer-shape factors. [0033] 2. In the smart window in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, because the
sensor(s), the wireless signal transceiver(s) and the connection wire(s)
between thereof are implemented by transparent material, so that the
aforementioned devices or wire(s) do not affect the view and the light
transmission of the windowpane. [0034] 3. In the smart window system in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, these sensing
signals, produced and outputted from more than one sensor, are capable of
being transmitted between these more than one smart windows via these
wireless signal transceivers. When the collected sensing signals are
transmitted to the central monitoring device, the central monitoring
device can perform an overall modulating action to the environmental
factors according to the collected sensing signals, so as to facilitate
an optimal modulating effect and an objective of power saving.

[0035] While the invention has been described in terms of what is
presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments,
it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the
disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various
modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and
scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar
structures.